Mumbai blasts an intelligence failure: R R Patil: "I appeal to citizens to ... not fall prey to rumours"

Times of India
Jul. 11, 2006

MUMBAI: The serial blasts in trains on Tuesday was a failure of the intelligence gathering machinery in the state, deputy chief minister R R Patil admitted on Tuesday.

"It is not just the state intelligence department and the elite anti-terrorist squad (ATS) that failed, even the Intelligence Bureau at the Centre had no inkling," Patil said, emerging from a closed-door meeting with police commissioner A N Roy at the police headquarters at 7.30 pm.

According to him, it looked like the handiwork of an international terrorist group. Patil, also the home minister, said special teams had been formed to flush out those responsible for the Tuesday?s blasts.

"Crime branch officers who had investigated the previous blasts will be used for the job," he said. Sources suspect Lashkar-e-Taiba behind the blasts.

The explosives were kept in bags which were abandoned by terrorists in the first class compartments. The police plan to question injured passengers and try to find out if anybody could help them draw sketches of the suspects.

"We will discuss the issue in the assembly on Wednesday. However, I appeal to citizens to maintain peace and not fall prey to rumours," Patil said.